What’s It All About, Alfie?

VIDEO (What’s it all about, Alfie?)

This song comes from the movie of the same title, “What’s it all about, Alfie?” It’s the story of a womanizer who thinks that life revolves around him. Until he gradually realizes the consequences of his actions. Now, I’m not recommending that you watch this movie. I haven’t seen it myself and don’t intend to but the lyrics of the song talk about many people’s situation.

“What’s it all about, Alfie?

Is it just for the moment we live?

What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?

Are we meant to take more than we give

or are we meant to be kind?

And if only fools are kind, Alfie,

then I guess it’s wise to be cruel.

And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,

what will you lend on an old golden rule?

As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie,

I know there’s something much more,

something even non-believers can believe in.”

Sounds even like a Christian song.

There are many Alfies in this world. And I’m not talking about the womanizers only.

Alfies are those who think that life revolves around them because they live in the present only. They believe that life’s all there is and, therefore, behave in a way that would satisfy their own desires and ambitions only. In short, they have this misguided notion that life is all about them.

Since the beginning of time, people have acted selfishly. In fact, for a long time people believed that man is the center of the universe because they observed that the earth seemed to be stationary while the sun and moon and stars revolve around it. This is what the ancient Greeks believed and this was the prevailing belief also during the middle ages. People who said otherwise were persecuted like Galileo Galilei. It was total heresy to say that the earth revolve around the sun. It’s like saying that man is not important. That he is just a speck of dust in the universe. That he is not the center of attention but a mere observer.

Now, it is not so hard to understand why people think this way. This is a carry-over of our attitude since we came into this world. Notice young children, they say “mine” all the time. Then, they act as if the universe revolves around them. They are impatient, they want all their desires and needs to be met right away. If not, they cry or throw temper tantrums just to get attention.

Some people still act like little children. They want things in a hurry, they bulldoze other people in trying to get their way, they don’t share their stuff, they brag about themselves, they are just always looking out for # 1 and that #1 is them. In short, they think that life is all about them.

The Bible says otherwise. It says,

I. It’s Not About You

Those are the first four words in Rick Warren’s popular book, “The Purpose-Driven Life.” The book gives reasons why it’s not about you. You see, when we look at the Bible, we can get a better perspective about our place in the universe. Moses wrote a psalm, Psalm 90, and says to God, “You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.”

Moses says we’re not the center of the universe and so stop acting like one. We have to realize that we’re not the boss and we cannot order people around. We’re here not to be served. We’re not to do things without thinking of others.

There’s this joke about a pilot, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, the Pope, and a pizza delivery man who were all in a plane together traveling through stormy conditions.

Suddenly, the pilot came running back to the passengers and announced that lightning had hit the plane, and they were going to crash in a matter of minutes. "There are only enough parachutes for four of the five of us," he announced. "Since I’m the pilot, I get one!" After saying this, the pilot grabbed a parachute and jumped out of the plane.

"I’m the world’s greatest athlete," proclaimed Michael Jordan. "This world needs great athletes, so I must live." Michael Jordan then grabbed a parachute and leaped out of the plane.

"I’m the smartest man in the world," bragged Bill Gates. "The world needs smart men, so I must also live!" Bill Gates grabbed a parachute and jumped out of the plane.